Door closer and fly chaser



sept. 1s, 1934. H J. WENTZ 1,973970 DOOR CLOSER AND FLYl CHASER Original Filed Dec. 5, 1951 /Zz/O 32 Hen/71g 1 VwzZz,

gwwnkoz elk/bom Patented Sept. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFC Application December 5, 1931, Serial No. 579,302

Renewed March 26, 1934 1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in attachments for screen doors.

One object of the invention is to provide a device, of novel construction, which is adapted to be operated in one direction, when the door is being opened, whereby to scare the flies away from the space between the free edge of the door and the door frame, and thus prevent the flies from entering the house.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is wound up, when the door is being opened, so as to close the door, when said door is released.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is adapted to operate the fly scarer, both during the opening and closing movements of the door.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the device in operative position.

Figure 2 is a bottom. plan View of the device. 25 Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing, and 1l represent the upper and lower plates of the device, which are secured together in spaced parallel relation by means of the bolts l2. Formed in the plate 10, intermediate its ends, is a circular opening 13, and in the material of the plate, in surrounding relation to the opening are stamped out the ratchet members 14, to which mention will be made, more particularly later herein. On the edge of the plate are formed apertured lugs or tabs 15, through which screws, or the like, are passed for securing the same to the face of the upper transverse 40 member 16, of the door frame 17. Carried by one end of the plate 10, and extending upwardly therefrom, is a post 18, having its upper end threaded, while two similar posts .1.9 rise from the other end of said plate, and have their upper ends threaded. The plate l1 has a single opening in one end, 11', and a pair of openings in its other end for receiving the threaded ends of said posts, nuts 20 being engaged on the threaded ends of the posts to clamp the plates together.

In the end of the plate 10, between the two posts carried thereon, is an opening 2l.

Disposed between the plates l0 and 1l is a drum 22, through the center of which passes a shaft 23, the ends of which engage respectively 55 through the openings 13 and 11', of the plates (Cl. 23o- 265) 10 and 11. The end of the shaft which passes through the opening 11' has a transverse pin 24, which is adapted to engage with the ratchet members 14, while the end which passes through the opening 13 is threaded, and carries a coil spring @0i 25, a nut 26 being engaged on said shaft end, to hold the spring in compressed condition, whereby to exert pull on the shaft and hold the pin 24 yieldably engaged with the ratchet members 14. Disposed within the drum is a motor spring 27, one end of which is secured to the shaft 23, and the other end being secured to the periphery of the drum, by means of a depression formed by the struck in tab 27.

From the foregoing it will be seen that, by i0 means of the transverse pin 24, of the shaft 23, said shaft is held against rotation in one direction, but that upon grasping the nut 26 and turning the shaft, the spring may be wound up, to increase the tension thereof.

Disposed through one end of the plate 11 is a shaft 28, the other end of which is seated in an opening 29, formed in the plate 10, between the two posts 18 in said end. Mounted on the shaft 28, between the plates 10 and 11, is a roller 29. so On the lower portion of the shaft 28 are mounted a plurality of pairs of spaced disks 30, and between each pair of disks are clamped the ends of a plurality of fabric strips 31, which, when said shaft is rotated, upon opening or closing the door, will fly outwardly and scare the flies away, whereby to prevent such flies entering the house.

A suitable length of belting 32 has a hook 33 on one of its ends, and said hook is engaged in the depression, before mentioned, as formed by the tab 27. The said belting 32 is wound on the drum, as shown, and its outer end is engaged around the roller 27, and the post 12, and is then secured to theinner face of the upper portion of the screen door.

In the operation of the device, the screen door is pushed into open position, which pulls the belting or tape, thereby rotating the drum, with the result that the spring therewithin will be wound up to a greater degree than when the door 100 was in closed position. At the same time that the drum is rotated, the pieces of fabric are caused to fly outwardly, due to the rapid rotation of the shaft 28, vby the engagement of the tape with the roller 29, thus scaring the flies away from the door opening, and preventing their entrance into the house.

The tension of the motor spring can be increased by grasping the nut 26 and rotating the shaft 23, so that the pin 24 will pass over the ratchet members 14. To reduce the tension of the spring, the operator grasps the nut and presses the shaft 23 inwardly, against the tension of the spring 25, until the pin 24 is disengaged from the ratchet members, and then rotates the shaft in a backward direction, to the proper distance, after which he releases the shaft to permit the spring 25 to move the shaft and reengage the pin with said ratchet members.

It will thus be seen that each time that the door is opened and closed, the fabric strips are rotated so as to chase the flies from the opening made by opening and closing the door. 

